Device



June 11, 1930. F. A. BEZEK 1,764,383

DEVICE FOR LOCKING A MOTOR VEHICLE IN GEAR Filed Dec. 4 1928 25 Fig.5. '/3 If v 4 20 /4 22 24 q t i l: i) 5 3 Fig. 6'. 6

A5 15 ll I 20 mmvron Z2 FRANK ABEZEK a V q Patented June 17, 1930 1 mun. STATES PATENT {oFF c-e i i FRANK A. BE ZEK,

or sAN- rnnnoisoo, CALIFORNIA, AssIGnon' TO. GENERAL mo'rrvn-nourrmnlvr COMPANY, on CALIFQRNIA I auronnvron on LOCKING A moron VEHICLE IN GEAR Application fi1ed DecemberA, 1928, Serial, No. 323,743.

This invention relates to an apparatus for locking a clutch or brake pedal on a motor ve-c hicle in a depressed position, coincidentally With the shutting off of the motor, so as to 5 make it impossible to move the vehicle by its been released.

own power until such time as the mechanism is released to allow the pedal to: assume its normal extended position.

An object of the invention is to provide a locking device. for locking either the clutch pedal or the brake pedal, in a position down against the floor-board of the vehicle so the.

vehicle cannot be moved, by its oWn power until after the said locking mechanism has A further object of theinvention is to pro: vide a locking device attached tov the clutch pedal of the vehicle which may be locked in a down position after the change; speed gearl 29 ing of the vehicle is in mesh,- to thereby prevent movement ofthe vehicle by its own powver, until after the gearing has been restored to a neutral position, the said locking apparatus preferably being controlled by the -25 same apparatus which operates the vehicleignition system on or off said mechanism also being applicable to the brakepedal of the vehicle to lock the brakes of vthe vehicle, the

said lock also being operated; by the ignition controlling means.

Other objects of the invention are tQPlO-- vide a locking device of the'character to be hereinafter described; that will be superior in point ofsimplicity,' inexpensiveness of con.- struction, positiveness of operation,;andfacility and; convenience in use and general,

ficien y- 7 Inthis specification and theannexed-drawings, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the-best, but it is'to be understood that the invention isnot limited to such form; because it may beembodied in other forms; and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description, it is desired tocover the-invention in Whatsoeverform it may be embodied.

ings: c Fig. 1 represents a diagrammatic cross section tak n thr ughi he flo r-b rd of; t

In the accompanying one sheet of drawvvehicle showing my locking device applied 7 to one of the-vehiclepeda-ls and'connected to a controlling device on the dash-board ofthe vehicle, for turning the pedal lock onand ofli.

Fig, 2 is a perspective View of the switch for the vehicle dash, in the locked position; Fig: 3 is aviewvof the switch in the unlocked position. I

F' g. his an, enlarged plan view' ofmy pedal locking device. Fig 5. is a side elevation partly in Section,

of the locking device shownirr Fig. 4-, inst'he' unlocked. position.

Fig fi isa section taken throughEigr-e, oh

the thee-6. c i

Fig,7. is a cross'section similar to Fig 5,,

showingthe. locking device in-the lockedposition. r

In detail the construction illustrated in the drawings comprises a vehiclepedali 1,, which may be either the clutch pedal or the, brake pedahsecuredon across'ba'r 2 mountedonthe 1 vehicle, Al-bar 3.having a, rack, surface 4 on,

oneside thereof, the teeth of which act asde- I tents, is provided: Witha fork 5 at .a liendthereofipivoted atfi to the pedal A; forked. bracket 7 is, secured we cross beammembera,

8 on the vehicle frame said beam being a: part of; the 7, vehicle framestructure for sup.- p ti g; he rear end of th e icle-engine. I provide; a guide for the lock bar- 3 as: 11-- lustrated ,iit is ahollowcasihgfi which has of any other desired cross section, is-slidably confined; in; the bore of; the hollow; eniargement 11-. Aseriesrofguide. slots 13' are formed in ,the'bore ofthe enlargementil'Lto -guide the latch 12in its leng thvvise movement; The lowerend-ofthelatch -12 isbeveled as it'l toengage thetrack manage on the bar 3.

a Wir n cab e l oito aiplunger 16, whi h is The rear end of thelatchl2. is connectedby' a part of thekey actuated switch mechanism confined in a casing 17, which is adapted to be mounted on the dashboard 18 of the vehicle. The plunger 16 reciprocates in and out withinthe switch casing 17 and is provided with a key actuated mechanism within, for locking the plunger in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 2, or, when unlocked, to allow the plunger to assume the extended position shown in Fig.3. The plunger 16 is primarily adapted to control the electric ignition system of the vehicle, through a wire or wires 19. WVhen the plunger is in the ocked position shown in Fig. 2, the ignijion system is inoperative, whereas, when the plunger is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the ignition system is operative.

In addition to using the plunger 16 for con- '-rolling the ignition system in the conven- Zional manner, I secure the cable 15 to the plunger and utilize the movement of the plunger for engaging or disengaging the latch 12 with the rack bar 3. shown and described a particular form of JWltCh, it is to be understood that anyform of ignition switch operating device can be utilized in combination with my invention for operating the latch 12 synchronously with the turning of the ignition switch on or oil. I

In order that the latch 12 will only engage the rack bar 3 at a' time when the ignition switch is turned off, I have interposed a slide plate 20 between the latch 12 and the notched surface of the rack bar 3. The plate 20 has its opposite ends confined in guideways 21. on opposite sides of the hollow interior of the casing 9. Bowed springs 22 on the under 7 side of the plate 20 slide on the 'guideways 21 and serve to hold the plate 20 out'of engage ment with the rack bar. The plate 20 is provided with a tooth 23 on the under side thereof, to engage one of aseries of notches 24 on theinclined face of the teeth 4, such notches 24 being provided only on the rearmost teeth of the rack. Thus, when it is desired to lock the latch in engagement with the rack, the

operator presses the switch plun er 16 inward, thereby forcingthe latch 12 downward into contact with the interposed plate'20 overcoming the upward spring tension exerted by said plate against the latch and causing the tooth on the under face of the plate 20 to engage one of the notches 24 in the teeth of the rack bar, so that theplate 20 will move downward and rearward with the rack bar as the said rack bar is urged downwardly and rearwardly within the casing 9 by movement of the pedal 1. hen the pedal 1 has'been moved into the desired depressed or locked position, the latch 12 engages one of the notches 4L and is held in engagement therewith by the plunger of the ignition switch 16, which looks itself in the position shown in Fig. 2.

The latch Wire 15 is encased by an armored Although I have cally engaged therewith to prevent the pedal from assuming its normally extended posi-' tion, and thereby rendering said pedal inoperative for use except by unlocking the lock ing device. In the ordinary course of op eration, the driver of a vehicle equipped with my locking device on one of the pedals thereof, would, upon locking the ignition system of the vehicle thereby force the latch 12 downwardly into engagement with the upper face ofthe slide plate 20. The pedal, if not depressed after the ignition switch has been turned oil, would remain in its normally extended position. 'lVith the i nition switch locked oil, the latch 12 would e thereby exerting adownward pressure on the plate 20 and the latch would be in readiness to engage the rack-bar on the pedal just as soon as the slide plate 20 would be removed from beneath the latch, to permitenga-gement thereof with said rack bar. The vehicle operator "to' hold the pedal down and to prevent said pedal :from assuming its extended position.

In the event that the vehicle operator would not lock the pedal down before leaving the vehicle-the said pedal would be in readiness to'be locked immediately that the said pedal should be depressecheither by the vehicle operator or an individual endeavoring to steal said vehicle. The locking apparatus on the pedal would not be apparent to a person depressing the said pedal, and therefore the locking apparatus would be in constant position to lock the pedal against operation each and every time that it would be depressed. upon the ignition switch being in the locked ofi position. Once the pedal has been locked down, obviously it would be impossible to manipulate the vehicle in either a forwardor rearward direction. With my apparatus it is possible to-first place the change speed mechanism of the vehicle in gear and to thereafter lock the clutch pedal'in such a position by means of the pedal lock operated coincidentally with the locking of the ignition system so as to prevent the said vehicle from being operated. Furthermore, the locking device could beapplied 'equally as well to the brake pedalto lock the brakes of the vehicle and to'thereby prevent indiscriminate use of vehicle. I

Having thus described'this invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a combination, a vehicle pedal; a notched rack pivoted to said pedal, said notched rack having a groove in certain of the teeth thereof; a casing pivoted to the vehicle frame and having said rack slidably confined therein; a latch in the casing engageable with the rack; a plate interposed between the latch and rack, said plate having a tooth thereon to engage one of the grooves in the notched rack and to move with the rack,

and means connected to the latch to move it into engagement with the plate and to engage the plate with the notched rack, whereby the said plate will be moved from beneath the latch when the rack is moved relative to the casing to thereby permit the latch to engage directly with the notches in the rack and to hold said rack immovable in the casing.

2. In combination, a clutch, a lever to disengage said clutch, a rack secured to said lever, a casing, in which said rack is slidably confined, a latch in said casing, engageable with said rack, means connected to said latch to move it into or from engagement with the rack, means intermediate said latch and said rack which prevents said engagement, spring means which holds said latch normally inoperative, and means actuated by the movement of the clutch lever, which removes said intermediate means upon compression of said spring means whereby said latch is freed to engage said rack.

3. In combination, a. clutch, a lever to disengage said clutch, a rack pivotally secured to said lever, a casing pivotally secured to the frame, in which said rack is slidably confined, a latch in said casing, engageable with said rack, means connected to said latch to move it into or from engagement with the rack, means intermediate said latch and rack which prevents said engagement, spring means which holds said latch normally inoperative,

- and means actuated by the movement of the clutch lever, which removes said intermediate means upon compression of said sprlng means whereby said latch is freed to engage saidrack.

i. In combination, a clutch, a lever to disengage said clutch, a rack secured to said lever, a casing, in which said rack is slidably confined, a latch in said casing, engageable 1 with said rack, means connected to said latch to move it lnto or from engagement w1th the rack, means inside of said casing lntermediate said latch and said rack which prevents said engagement, spring means which holds said latch normally inoperative, and means actuated by the movement of the clutchlever, which removes said intermediate means upon lever, a casing, in which said rack is slidably confined, a latch in said casing, engageable with said rack, means connected to said latch to move it into or from engagement with the rack, means intermediate said latch and said rack which prevents said engagement, spring means which holds said latch normally inoperative, and means actuated by the movement of the clutch lever, which removes said intermediate means upon compression of said spring means whereby said latch is freed to engage said rack.

6. In combination, a clutch, a lever to dis-- engage said clutch, a rack secured to said lever, a guide forsaid rack, a latch engageable 'Wlllh said rack, means connected to said latch to move it into or from engage- V ment with the rack, means intermediate said latch and said rack which prevents said engagement, spring means which holds said engage said clutch, means to lock said clutch lever in disengaged position, and springpressed means to hold said locking means inoperative under normal conditions, the movement of said clutch lever removing said holding means, upon compression of said spring whereby said clutch lever locking means is freed for operation.

9. Incombination, a clutch, a lever to disengage said clutch, a bar, pivotally secured to said lever, detents on said bar,'a pivoted guide for said bar, means to engage said detents, means to prevent said engagement, and means actuated by the movement of the clutch lever which removes said last named means. r

10. In combination, a clutch, alever to disengage said clutch, a bar pivotally secured to said lever, detents on said bar, a guide for said bar, means to engage said detents, means to prevent said engagement, and means actuated by the movement of the clutchllever which removes said last named means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set compression of said spring means whereby 7 said latch is freed to engage said rack.

5. In combination, a clutch, a lever to disengage said clutch, a rack operated by said 

